# US 8,772,851 B2 · Dielectrics containing at least one of a refractory metal or a non-refractory metal

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- Number: US 8,772,851 B2
- Document ID: US8772851B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/052,465
- Filed: 2013-10-11
- Published: 2014-02-06
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2006-08-31
- Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc.
- Inventors: Leonard Forbes; Kie Y. Ahn; Arup Bhattacharyya
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772851B2

## CPC

- H10P 14/69393: {the material containing tantalum, e.g. Ta2O5}
- C23C 16/308: {Oxynitrides}
- C23C 16/45525: {Atomic layer deposition [ALD]}
- H10D 1/692: {Electrodes}
- H10D 30/681: {having only two programming levels (Floating gate IGFETs programmable by two single electrons H10D30/688)}
- H10D 64/01342: {by deposition, e.g. evaporation, ALD or laser deposition (H10D64/01344 takes precedence)}
- H10D 64/035: {comprising conductor-insulator-conductor-insulator-semiconductor structures}
- H10D 64/693: {the insulator comprising nitrogen, e.g. nitrides, oxynitrides or nitrogen-doped materials}
- H10P 14/6336: {in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]}
- H10P 14/6508: {by exposure to a liquid}
- H10D 1/694: {comprising noble metals or noble metal oxides}
- H10D 64/0134: {with a treatment, e.g. annealing, after the formation of the insulator and before the formation of the conductor}
- H10P 14/6339: {deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE or pulsed CVD}
- H10P 14/662: {Laminate layers, e.g. stacks of alternating high-k metal oxides (adhesion layers or buffer layers H10P14/6508, H10P14/6548)}
- H10P 14/69391: {the material containing aluminium, e.g. Al2O3}
- H10P 14/69397: {the material containing two or more metal elements}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

## Abstract

Electronic apparatus and methods of forming the electronic apparatus may include one or more insulator layers having a refractory metal and a non-refractory metal for use in a variety of electronic systems and devices. Embodiments can include electronic apparatus and methods of forming the electronic apparatus having a tantalum aluminum oxynitride film. The tantalum aluminum oxynitride film may be structured as one or more monolayers. The tantalum aluminum oxynitride film may be formed using atomic layer deposition. Metal electrodes may be disposed on a dielectric containing a tantalum aluminum oxynitride film.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A storage capacitor comprising:
two or more electrode layers; and
one or more dielectric layers, at least one of the one or more dielectric layers including TaAlON, the TaAlON having an oxygen and nitrogen concentration graded in a direction parallel to a surface on which the TaAlON is disposed, wherein at least a portion of the one or more dielectric layers including the TaAlON is interposed between the two or more electrode layers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The storage capacitor of claim 1, wherein the one or more dielectric layers includes TaON.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The storage capacitor of claim 1, wherein the one or more dielectric layers includes a TaAlON tunnel layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The storage capacitor of claim 1, wherein the one or more dielectric layers includes a nanolaminate composite.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The storage capacitor of claim 4, wherein the nanolaminate composite structure includes at least one of a Ta2O5/Al2O3, a TaON/AlON, a Ta2O5/AlN, a TaN/Al2O3, and a TaN/AlN structure.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The storage capacitor of claim 4, wherein the two or more electrodes are configured to form at least a portion of a flash memory.

### Claim 7

A storage capacitor comprising:
two metal regions; and
a dielectric disposed between the two metal regions, the dielectric including TaAlON, the TaAlON having an oxygen and nitrogen concentration graded in a direction parallel to a surface on which the TaAlON is disposed.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The storage capacitor of claim 7, wherein at least one of the two metal regions includes one or more metals compatible to substitute for a previously disposed substitutable material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The storage capacitor of claim 8, wherein the one or more metals are compatible to substitute for previously disposed carbon.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The storage capacitor of claim 7, wherein at least one of the two metal regions includes aluminum, tungsten, molybdenum, gold, silver, tantalum, copper, platinum, rhenium, ruthenium, rhodium, nickel, osmium, palladium, iridium, cobalt, germanium, a conductive metallic nitride, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The storage capacitor of claim 7, wherein the dielectric is arranged as a dielectric stack containing the TaAlON.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The storage capacitor of claim 11, wherein the dielectric stack includes a nanolaminate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The storage capacitor of claim 12, wherein the nanolaminate includes a layer containing the TaAlON, a layer of tantalum oxide, a layer of tantalum oxynitride, and a layer of aluminum oxide.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

The storage capacitor of claim 7, wherein the dielectric includes an insulating metal oxide in addition to the TaAlON.

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

The storage capacitor of claim 7, wherein the dielectric includes an insulating nitride in addition to the TaAlON.

### Claim 16 (depends on 7)

The storage capacitor of claim 7, wherein the dielectric includes an insulating silicate lave

### Claim 17 (depends on 7)

The storage capacitor of claim 7, wherein the TaAlON has approximately 30 atomic % oxygen and approximately 30-35 atomic % nitrogen.

### Claim 18 (depends on 7)

The storage capacitor of claim 7 wherein the dielectric is disposed on a silicon germanium substrate, a germanium substrate, a gallium arsenide substrate, or a silicon-on-sapphire substrate.

### Claim 19 (depends on 7)

The storage capacitor of claim 7, wherein the dielectric is disposed in a memory device on a silicon substrate.

### Claim 20 (depends on 7)

The storage capacitor of claim 7, wherein the TaAlON is structured as a layered arrangement of one or more monolayers.